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Biggles au grand Nord (Artima comic)/plot
The adaptation is very faithful to the original, Even some minor details, not critical to the plotline, are depicted in detail, which sometimes results in very long speech bubbles. The section headings below do not occur in the comic strip. They are the chapter hedings of the the original book are are inserted here to make comparison easier. Biggles Gets a Letter This scene is dran in detail, complete with a large envelope carry the note "Confidentiel. En cas d'absence priere de faire suivre" (Confidential. In case of absence, please forward), exactly as stated in the original text. Biggles' address is given as 119 Mount Street (not clear if this is ever mentioned in the original Johns works). The details in the letter are narrated accurately but more briefly of necessity as the speech bubbles could not contain everything--particularly the descriptions of McBain and his gang. One of Wilks aircraft does shed its wings on take-off but the pilot who died, Walter Graves, is not mentioned. Nor does the letter mention a second machine which goes up in flames shortly after delivery. Fort Beaver The purchase of the Jupiter by radio is described. There is even a conversation in the cabin between Ginger and Smyth which serves to describe the specifications of the aircraft: speed of 230 mph and twin 850 hp Cyclone engines. There's a helpful map with description of the location of Fort Beaver which the text here states is between the Great Slave Lakes and the Mackenzie River. Biggles, Algy, Ginger and Smyth meet McBain and his gang on arrival. All the events are depicted such as McBain's demand fo $10 for landing fees, Wilks' ransacked office, the Chicot firing the shot, Biggles punching him and Delaney intervening. A Satisfactory Trip The trip to Moose Creek and the discovery of Wilks is well cover. There's even a picture of Wilks clearing the runway. The Rockheed appears more damaged than in the original--the speech bubbles here mention a burst tire and twisted prop--more than can be easily repaired. Nonetheless, Algy and Smyth are left behind to repair it. The fake flarepath lit by McBain to trick Biggles at Fort Beaver is depicted. At the Three Star Saloon The events at the saloon are faithfully depicted. There is a picture and description of Mose wearing the opal tie-pin which becomes an important clue later. Biggles and Ginger do order bovril and milk and Ginger does overhear Mose mentioning the name of Wilkinson (not corrupted to Wilkson in the original). Biggles offers to fly Mose to Angus and they arrange to meet the next day. The shootout between Biggles and McBain is depicted as is the intervention of Delaney. Ginger Goes Scouting Ginger eavesdropping on McBain and is gang is depicted accurately. A Staggering Blow The visit by Delaney to question Biggles and co. about the death of Mose is depicted accurately and includes here Ginger recalling for the first time that Mose mentioned Angus Stirling's location. Biggles and Ginger do fetch the supplies which Mose had bought for Angus but there's no picture and no mention of them going back into town and being confronted with scowls from townspeople who suspect them of the murder. The Jupiter Heads Northward Biggles and Ginger meet Canwell at Moose Creek. The conversation runs along the same lines as in the original. Canwell mentions that McBain offered him rates of 15 cents a pound and Biggles does counter-offer 15 cents a pound. Canwell also tells them he has a gold shipment for them the next day, but here he doesn't actually tell them he would give it to whoever shows up earlier. A Grim Encounter The air battle with Sarton and Chicot is drawn over five pages. Chicot is shown using a tommy gun and Ginger does attempt to respond with a signal pistol and even him managing to shoot a hole through the wing fabric is shown. The destruction of the Weinkel with a crate of corned beef is, of course, drawn in detail. Down in a Frozen World Despite their successful combat, the Jupiter has been damaged. It's tanks are holed and Biggles has to forceland when the engines run out of fuel. Down on the frozen wasteland, Ginger thinks he spots a light in the distance. It might be Angus? They load up with as much food as they can carry and head for it. A Desparate Meeting The aftermath of the battle is depicted in detail, from Biggles asking Ginger to get some tea to trying to operate the pump. The forced landing made by Biggles and Ginger, their earlier sighting of a polar bear mother and cub and their later fight with a polar bear are all drawn but the fight, of course, cannot be told as vividly as in Johns' text. Angus intervenes to save them as in the original. An Unpleasant Shock The proceedings in Angus' hut go much as in the original. Biggles and Ginger tell Angus the news and then have a rest. Here, both Ginger and Biggles oversleep and Angus has already fetched the bear meat. Biggles tells Ginger to cook up some steaks while he looks for Angus and the two then make a trip to the plane to fetch more supplies. In the original, Ginger awoke to to find Biggles already returning from the first trip to the plane. A One-Sided Duel The Weinkel sights the Jupiter and strafes it like in the original with gunfire and then cans of petrol. It then turns to shoot down the approaching Rockheed. Wilks' and Algy's crash landing is drawn accurately, including, of course, Algy clinging to one wing to balance the aircraft. In the original, they get on straight to repairs, Here they have time to discuss the repair plans over some hot stew in Angus' hut. Southward Again The actual repair works are not drawn, just the final result with skis on the undercarriage. They land at Moose Creek on the ice just like in the original. There's even a drawing featuring the windsock mentioned by Wilks. As in the original, Canwell tells Biggles that McBain arrived first and had taken on the load of gold but here, more briefly. An Unexpected Landing The pursuit of the Weinkel to the remote log cabin is depicted much as in the original text. Under Arrest The events leading to the arrest of Biggles, Algy and Wilks by Delaney take are depicted faithfully, although the conversations are much more brief. Ginger makes his escape much like in the original. Ginger Acts Two pictures summarise Ginger's thought process and four more his arrival at the log cabin. There is a shot and he falls forward. The Indian from McBain's gang comes out to look at Ginger's body. A New Peril Just like in the original, there is an angry crowd which forces Delaney to bring Biggles, Algy and Wilks to the Three Star saloon for some mob justice. Biggles does make his speech which is a word for word translation of the original. McBain stirs the mob up and the bartender intervenes with a revolver to allow Delaney to escape to the jailhouse with his prisoners. There is no mention that the bartender is a retired sergeant of the mounties. Trapped The events at the jailhouse are depicted faithfully if a little more briefly. There is mention that Fred has been killed. Biggles is shown holding the bartender's gun (although in the original text it is clear Delaney was the one who shot Fred). There is also the stone with the message from Smyth about fetching help from Blackfoot. There is no depiction of the mob attempting to use a battering ram and Biggles foiling it with accurate shots. The pictures move quickly to the fire. Biggles, Algy and Wilks are captured as they evacuate the jailhouse and brought to a tree. A Life and Death Struggle Ginger's combat with the Indian at the log cabin is depicted faithfully, though again, not in some much detail as in the original text. But he does end up getting the rifle, he does search the log cabin and doesn't find anything and the rifle does go missing. Lost This goes much like in the original. There is a nice drawing of the depression which Ginger uses for cover. He has his brush with wolves, takes refuge in the Jupiter and then uses the aircraft engines to drive away the wolves from the log cabin to save the Indian who has been trapped on the roof. The Prisoner Speaks The Indian is more quick to speak up and cooperate than in the original. He says he saw McBain commit the murder (in the original he only saw McBain wiping blood from his rifle stock). Ginger is shown the sacks of gold and he also finds the fake seal. As they prepare to depart for Fort Beaver, there is no mention of the Indian begging to be set free or left behind. There is an additional point that Ginger has to tie his hands up and then help him board the aircraft. In the original, Ginger was confident the Indian would not interfere once the aircraft had taken off. At the Eleventh Hour Ginger's intervention at the near hanging of his comrades follows the original faithfully but there is a strange inversion. After Ginger approaches the mob with the Indian as his prisoner, the crowd turns agains McBain and Ferroni. They make a run for it but are intercepted and arrested by the five Mounties arriving from Blackfoot. McBain is brought back to the tree. Only then does Ginger denouce him by producing Mose's tie pin. This could just as easily have been a printing error. The pictures for page 65 ended up on page 64 and vice versa. Smyth is shown arriving on a sixth horse. Delaney mentions he needs to speak to his captain but this officer is not named. Conclusion The ending is much as in the original but Arctic Airways appears to get two new Rockheeds (they have triple tails) rather than two new Jupiters. Category:Plot summaries (derivative works)